The eve of the Chinese New Year is very important as the reunion dinner is held on this day. Family members no matter where they work, will head for the family home to have dinner with their parents and grandparents if they are still around. Hence the mass exodus which sees the main highways clogged with traffic heading north, south, east or west, all making a beeline for home.
Many families have moved from the tradition of having dinner in the home to restaurants and hotels which usually see brisk business with two or three seatings during the course of the evening. Yet others will holiday in neighboring countries as a break from the madding crowd.
As for my family, we still stick to the tradition of having the reunion dinner at my brother’s home where the family ancestral altar is. In the late afternoon,offerings are made to our ancestors as a mark of respect and to honor them so that they will continue to bless the family.
Joss paper folded in the form of ingots and fans together with paper clothing and shoes are burnt at the end of the offerings and prayers.
In the evening everyone gathers for the reunion dinner. In my family, each sibling brings a dish or more to share so the table is laden with lots of delicious food. We tossed the prosperity salad to usher in good luck for the new year.
This year, my brother’s birthday coincided with the eve of the new year so it was a double celebration.
It was a very merry occasion as my sibling from Australia flew back together with her children and grandchildren. All the young children playing together made the evening complete.
This dinner will be remembered for a long time to come.
